Tara, Lady of Tortall
by Bella5
Summary: Tarangyllia noh Ajikuro is being thrust into the realm of Tortall from the Yamani Islands. There, she must learn how to fit in, guard her Princess, Shinkokami along with her sister, Haname noh Ajikuro, and maybe even fall in love...


This is my latest fic. It is also my first Tortall fic, and I do not know what the opinion of it will be, but I hope you like it. I have written three Harry Potter fics, so I am not new to writing. I would love it if you would check them out.   
My fic does contain spoilers for all of the Tortall books, even Lady Knight (which hasn't been published yet, but I have read excerpts on Tamora Pierce's site). It takes place in the Yamani Islands a few weeks after Kel is knighted. I will be introducing all of our favorite characters later, don't worry. It will follow Lady Knight. I hope you enjoy, and please review.  
I'm sorry that this is so short, but the next chapter will be longer!!  
  
Tara, Lady of Tortall  
Chapter 1: Meeting With the Emperor  
  
Early February  
The House of Ajikuro, in the Yamani Islands  
In the twenty-first year of the reign of Jonathan IV and Thayet, his Queen  
460 H.E.  
  
Tarangyllia noh Ajikuro was incredibly bored. Although her face might not show it, as it was considered very rude in the realm she lived in to show any emotions, she still was. Tara had finished her lesson for that day (learning to speak Common, the language spoken by people in the Eastern lands) and was staring out the window. Her coal black hair (scented lightly with lavender) was blowing gently in the breeze, and during the calm would return to rest by her waist. She pushed the two short locks that framed her tan, heart shaped face evenly, back behind her ears. Those two pieces were such bothers! She had to put them in clips when she was exercising; otherwise they would get in her face and annoy her greatly. The only reason she had them was because her mother insisted that they were "the latest fashion" and her daughter "simply must be fashionable". Tara sighed and got up, hoping to find someone nearby who would play a game of fan toss. She reached for her sky blue, silk shukusen that was tucked in the cabinet beside her bed.   
"Excuse me, Lady Tarangyllia."  
Tara lifted her head and stared at the maid expectantly.   
The maid placed her palms on her thighs and bowed low, as it was Yamani custom in greeting nobles. "His Imperial Highness requires your presence tonight in court."  
Tara froze, still keeping her face Yamani-still, even though she was very surprised. The Emperor wanted to see her?  
"Makaynaz," Tara said, addressing the servant, "did he say why?"  
Makaynaz shook her head. "I do not know, my lady."  
Tara nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you, you may go."  
Makaynaz bowed again and left Tara's sitting room. Tara looked down. She was the youngest out of the seven daughters that belonged to the very prestigious Ajikuro clan, and was eighteen. She had been to court before; to be introduced when she turned thirteen, but had not returned since then, (even though she could) unlike her sister's. The fact that the Emperor wanted to see an Ajikuro was not uncommon, as her house went back farther than his, but the youngest? Since she was in private, she allowed herself a puzzled look.  
"Tarangyllia, get up," came a sharp command from the door.   
Tara looked up, face immediately calm, to see her mother clad in a brown silk kimono with a light blue one patterned with griffins over it. Her obi was cream colored, and her hair was silver due to age. It was simply down, hanging to her waist.  
Tara obeyed, almost scowling. Her mother insisted upon refusing to call her by her nickname. "Yes mother?"  
"You have been requested in court tonight, as Makaynaz told you. We must fit you for your kimono. His Highness could have given us a bit more of a warning." Her mother's voice held a hint of disapproval.  
"Mother, do you know why?" Tara asked, crossing the length of her room to her.  
"Your father and I have an inclining. We think it is about Haname." Dhanyata noh Ajikuro strode out of the room and began weaving her way through the passages that made up their home expertly.   
Tara's ears perked at the name of her favorite sister. Haname was twenty-nine and lived in Tortall with the Emperor's niece, who was to be married to Prince Roald, crown prince of Tortall, in a few short weeks. Tara missed Haname miserably. Haname and the princess's other companion, Yukimi noh Daiomoru, was going to stay with her even after the wedding, for as long as Shinkokami wanted them. Haname had written her younger sister frequently, her longest letter about seeing Lady Keladry of Mindelan again. Keladry, she said, was very much bigger than she had been. She was the same age as Tara, but when they were ten Keladry had seemed like a giant to her. Tara had only seen her a few times, as the Mindelans had been looked upon as outcasts for the time they were in the Yamani Islands. Only the last two years of their stay, after Ilane of Mindelan, Keladry's mother, had bravely fought pirates to keep the swords given to the children of the Yamani goddess, Yama, safe had they been promoted to the Book of Silver. Then they associated with many of the upper class Yamani's.   
"What about her?" Tara asked.  
"We are not clear of that. But your father, Maitreye, Lakshmi, and I will be going with you." Dhanyata turned sharply to the right and opened a door. They were now in the fitting rooms. Immediately Tara was ushered onto a stand where she was measured by the sewing maids.  
Tara nodded. "All right, then."  
"I would like the colors to be peach and lavender, Kistra," Dhanyata said briskly to the head-clothing maid.  
Kistra nodded and began laying out fabrics. Tara sighed. It would be a long, tedious afternoon.  
  
~*~*~*~*  
  
Tara shifted from one foot to another. She was incredibly anxious about why the Emperor wished to see her. She was standing in line with her two sisters, Maitreye and Lakshmi, and her parents. Tara was wearing an inner kimono that was white. Her second was a peach color (one that Tara really did not like) and her outer, the finest, was lavender with scarlet cats patterned on it. Her obi was the same scarlet as the cats on her outer kimono were, and from it hung many gold ornaments.   
Tara felt her shukusen, which was tucked into her obi, with pride. She was one of the youngest girls to carry a shukusen, a lady fan, in the court. Most of her sisters preferred not to carry one, as it was a weapon with its very sharp edges, but Tara was gifted in using them. She did not believe that she was in danger, as that was generally the only reason a woman carried a shukusen, but wore it for decoration. She also liked to have a weapon close by, just in case. She was very advanced and she had even received praise from the old training mistress, Nariko. Tara was able to play a game of fan toss better than any lady her age and older.   
The doors in front of her father opened wide. Tara was at the back of the line, as she was the youngest, and the herald proclaimed, "From the most distinguished noble house, found in the Book of Gold, Ajikuro: Lord Rajanikant noh Ajikuro and Lady Dhanyata noh Ajikuro."  
Tara's mother and father stepped forward and made their way down the grand steps to enter the banquet room.   
"Also from house Ajikuro, Lady Maitreye and Lady Lakshmi." Tara's sisters began to walk down the stairs.  
Tara stepped forward, her face still. "And at His Imperial Highness, Emperor Madhusudhana noh Nakuji's request, Lady Tarangyllia noh Ajikuro," the herald said.  
Tara concentrated on the steps in front of her, breathing deeply. If a foreigner had seen her, they would have assumed she was uninterested, but that was definitely not the case. She was shaking with nerves.  
She ended her descent and walked down the red carpet to the long banquet table. It was raised a foot above the floor, and the members of the court were seated on the finest silk rugs and pillows. The emperor sat at the head of the table. Tara kneeled on the rug to his right and greeted him as Yamani's greet royalty. She placed her palms on the floor, and bowed until her forehead touched the floor. After twenty seconds, Tara rose and took the seat to his right, across from his wife, Lady Jayaprada. Lady Jayaprada's lips turned upward almost unnoticeably in a smile, but it calmed Tara down slightly.  
The emperor stood. "To our people in Tortall, especially Princess Shinkokami's welfare, and may the alliance succeed."  
"Yama willing." Was the response from the courtiers, and with that, talk broke out and maids began serving the first course.   
The emperor sat and took a drink from his gold cup. He then turned to Tara. "Thank you, Tarangyllia, for coming this evening. I must discuss a matter with you regarding your sister. You might call it an imperial command, and in a way, it is. But I will leave the decision to your honorable parents."  
He took a bite of the first course, a piece of grilled fish. He did not speak again until the fourth course- lemon soup. Tara waited anxiously.  
"Your sister has sent a request to me. I understand that she did want to take you to Tortall four years ago, but I rejected it, as you were only a child."  
Tara's pulse quickened. Was the emperor going to say what she thought he was?  
"Now that you are indeed a distinguished young woman, I have decided to grant you permission to sail to Tortall. You will be going with Lady Ilane of Mindelan, who has been here for a few short days and will be returning the day after tomorrow, if your parents agree."  
Tara turned her head quickly to her father, seated next to her. Lord Rajanikant bowed his head to the emperor. "I grant permission to let my daughter be taken to Tortall."  
Tara had to really work to suppress a shout of glee. She was going to see Haname!  
  
~*~*~*~*   
  
Tara stepped onto the great wooden Tortallan boat carefully. A very pretty woman with pale hair was leaning out over the water, her kimono pale yellow. She turned and smiled to Tara. "Welcome, Tarangyllia!"  
Tara's face hid her surprise. Ilane of Mindelan was acting very much like an easterner; all of her emotions lay out openly on her face. When Tara had first met Ilane, the woman hadn't betrayed any emotion at all. It wasn't as though Tara herself thought that showing emotions was rude, but it would take getting used to. She bowed, placing her palms on her thighs, and Ilane did the same.   
"You have never been to Tortall, have you?" Ilane asked.  
"No," Tara said, joining her at the rail and looking out over the Emerald Ocean.  
"It is very different. I hope you do not mind my showing emotion."  
Tara glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. "No. But it will take some getting used to."  
"I understand. But you may start if you like. If not, I still will, to prepare you." Ilane said kindly.  
Tara nodded. "Thank you, Lady Ilane."  
"And you do know Common, correct?"  
"Yes, I can speak fluently." Tara responded in Common.  
Ilane smiled. "Very good. Then we will speak in Common from now on."  
"Very well." Tara said calmly.  
"Do you care for a game of fan toss?" Ilane asked, pulling out her green silk fan.   
Tara's face lit up without her knowing it. "Yes, please!"  
Ilane laughed. "See? You can betray your emotions!"  
Tara looked at her slippers sheepishly, taking out her own fan and hiding her mouth.   
"Come on, now! Lets see how well you can-" Ilane was interrupted be the loud grating noise of the boats' anchor being raised and then the boat being pushed out from the dock. Tara grabbed the railing, her eyes wide. Soon they were out of the Yamani Royal Harbor and onto smooth waters, smooth enough to play an exhausting game of fan toss. It ended with Ilane dropping her shukusen with surprise.   
"Well, I must say Tarangyllia, you are quite talented with that thing." Ilane said, wiping her brow and accepting a glass of water from a servant.   
Tara blushed with pride, and busied herself with taking a long drink from her own glass of water. She lifted her head. "Lady Ilane, if you would like-well, all of my friends do, to call me Tara," she said shyly.  
"Of course, and you may call me Ilane. None of that 'Lady' nonsense. You are as old as my Kel, if not a bit shorter." Ilane smiled.  
Tara leaned forward. "And how is your daughter? Still trying for her shield?"   
Ilane lit with pride. "She just got her shield a few weeks ago. First lady knight in a century."  
Tara was confused. "But what about your Lady Alanna? Isn't she a lady knight?"  
"Yes, but she was not knighted a lady knight. She pretended to be a boy for eight years because women were not allowed to be knights back then. When she was knighted, no one knew she was really a female." Ilane explained.  
Tara didn't understand very much still, but nodded and sipped her water again. She would have to get Haname to explain it to her.   
"How tall is Lady Keladry?" Tara asked.  
"Hmm, about my height. It was a shock to find we were eye to eye." Ilane laughed.   
Tara was surprised to find that she actually grinned. She retracted it sharply, astonished with herself, but Ilane was stern. "You should get used to showing emotion, Tara. Your sister and Lady Yukimi do now, even the Princess does too."  
"Really?" Tara asked, actually forcing her face to be surprised.  
"Yes," Ilane said, nodding. "Very much so."  
"And how is the war status in Tortall? I heard Mother and Father talking about possible war with Scanra." Tara asked. Battles fascinated her.  
Ilane sighed, suddenly looking tired. "It is not good, but I suppose we will manage. There is threat from one Scanran, Maggur Rathhausak, but it is not definite that he will become king of the Bloody Throne, as we call it. Now, let's talk about something brighter, shall we? When we get back, you'll be right in the thick of the wedding preparations, as it is in April and it's already February."   
Tara nodded in agreement, determined to not let the threat bother her. She was going to see Haname, not a war.  
Little did Tarangyllia noh Ajikuro know that she would be seeing both. 


End file.
